


hello, darkness, my old friend

by Tyleet



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (2011)
Genre: Gen, M/M, Pseudo-Incest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-14
Updated: 2012-05-14
Packaged: 2017-11-05 08:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/404469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tyleet/pseuds/Tyleet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Loki was young, long before he discovered his true parentage or lost his brother's love, he made a foolish wager.</p>
            </blockquote>





	hello, darkness, my old friend

When Loki was young, long before he discovered his true parentage or lost his brother’s love, he made a foolish wager. 

_Nothing finer can be made than these_ , he said, examining three treasures not meant for him. Having made everyone in his family hate him, Loki had sought the dwarf sons of Ivaldi to craft him gifts beautiful enough to win back his family’s favor. He had cut Sif’s long dark hair off while she slept, and so the sons of Ivaldi wrought a fall of yellow hair for her out of actual gold that would grow, magically, from her own head. _The better to match my vainglorious brother_ , he’d said drily, running his fingers through the sunny strands and reflecting that it was, indeed, familiar. For his mother, Loki commanded that a ship that could sail on air as well as water be built, and for his father, the spear Gungnir, which always aims true.   
  
_I can make something grander_ , a dwarf told Loki, sullen and challenging.   
  
_You lie,_ Loki said, coldly.   
  
_Would you care to make a wager? If I and my brother Eitri cannot make something grander in a year’s time, Odinsson, you may have our heads. If we can, will have yours._   
  
__In a year’s time,_ _ the dwarf brothers Eitri and Brokk presented Thor with Mjolnir, and when Loki saw the pure joy on his brother’s face as he first lifted the hammer, he knew he had lost.   
  
_I cede the wager,_ he told Brokk, and Thor looked up.   
  
_What wager, brother?_   
  
_Then you forfeit your head_ , Brokk told him, and Thor whitened.

_I forbid it,_ Thor snapped.

_It is none of your concern_ , Loki replied. He told the dwarf: _My head is yours._   
  
_Loki._   
  
_How will you claim your forfeit?_ Loki asked.   
  
_Now_ , Eitri said, both dwarves smiling with teeth. _We will use my axe._   
  
_Try it and perish_ , Thor snarled.   
  
_You will not harm them, Thor_ , Loki said calmly. _These were the terms of the bet._   
  
_How could you be so foolish as to agree to such terms?_ Thor accused him.   
  
_I did not account_ , Loki said, deliberately cruel, _for your love of things that destroy._   
  
_Brother,_ Thor whispered.   
  
_You may have my head,_ Loki told the dwarves. _But my neck had no part in our agreement. If you have a way to claim my head without harming my neck—please, take it._   
  
The dwarves grew angry, but could not conceive of any way to claim Loki’s head without harming his neck.   
  
_If your head is ours,_ Brokk said darkly, _then we will do what we will to it. Kneel,_ _Odinsson._

_Should you harm him permanently_ , Thor said as Loki knelt, his fingers straying to Mjolnir, _I will not be pleased._

_We will not,_ Eitri said, and produced a thick, sharp needle and a leather thong. _Let us be rid of that silver tongue for a time,_ he murmured.

Thor gripped Loki’s shoulder tightly as the dwarves sewed his mouth tightly shut. Without those five fierce points of pressure, Loki would have screamed, or struggled. But he would not shame himself in front of his brother, so he stayed still.   
  
Later, Thor looked at him with a strange mix of pity and pride, and ran a comforting hand over the back of Loki’s skull, slipping over his hair. _This will not last forever,_ he said solemnly, and pressed a rough kiss to Loki’s forehead. Loki closed his eyes and leaned silently into his brother’s touch.   
  
This is what Loki is thinking of now, as his brother once again stares at him while small and worthless mortals silence Loki as best they can, fitting a metal gag to his lips.   
  
Thor looks at him with immeasurable sorrow, but no hatred.   
  
_Hate me_ , Loki thinks viciously. _None of this has been worth it if you will not hate me._   
  
“I am sorry, brother,” Thor says, and reaches out to touch his hand to Loki’s hair, but Loki flinches violently away.   
  
_I am not your brother,_ he thinks.

**Author's Note:**

> I got the stuff about Loki's lips being sewn shut from this website: http://www.hurstwic.org/history/articles/mythology/myths/text/treasures.htm. Hopefully it bears some kind of resemblance to the actual mythology!


End file.
